The 2005 global benefit concert series organized by Bob Geldof and Bono was Live 8.
Live 8 took place on July 2, 2005, with simultaneous concerts in cities including London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Philadelphia, Tokyo, Toronto, and Johannesburg. The events were scheduled just before the G8 summit in Scotland and aimed to pressure wealthy nations to address poverty, debt, trade barriers, hunger, and AIDS in Africa. Geldof, who had organized Live Aid in 1985, worked with Midge Ure on the project, while Bono and U2 were prominent supporters and performers.
Live 8 is often confused with Live Aid, but the two had different purposes. Live Aid raised money for famine relief in Ethiopia; Live 8 was primarily a political campaign intended to build public pressure for policy changes. The concerts were also linked to the Make Poverty History campaign and featured more than 1,000 musicians.
The G8 leaders later pledged to increase aid to poor nations, although critics disputed how fully those promises were carried out. The event’s name deliberately echoed Live Aid while signaling its focus on the eight G8 nations.